Human rights activists have expressed their anger over the killing of a man in the North West Frontier Province by villagers on alleged charges of blasphemy after extremist clerics issued a decree declaring him an "infidel". Around 400-500 villagers pelted stones at the victim, who hid himself in a cave only to be shot dead later, in the remote town of Spin Khak in Nowshehra, near the city of Peshawar on Wednesday. Ashiq Nabi, in his 30's, was a labourer and accused of desecrating Holy Quran after a row with his wife who had brought the Holy Quran to make her husband swear on. However, the local clerics issued a decree against Nabi for blasphemy that triggered anger amongst the illiterate Pushtoon villagers who then killed the man. The wife and another relative of the victim lodged a complaint with the police, who reached the spot to arrest him. They found Nabi lying in a pool of blood, sources said. The clerics refused to offer prayers and attend the funeral. Even his family members did not take the body back for burial as he had been declared an "infidel". The police are looking for the clerics who issued decree and declared that the man is punishable to death for alleged blasphemy.
The NWFP is ruled by the alliance of the extremist religious parties, the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA), which during its rule for over two years has implemented strict Islamic laws in the province seen as increasing extremism in the province. "It's beyond anybody's imagination that such an incident can happen in the 21st century," says Tariq Khan, a Peshawar-based rights activist. "We fear extremists' rule has further fanned and strengthened such extremist and inhumane behaviour in the name of religion."
"Islam doesn't allow taking someone's life," says Hafiz Hussain Ahmed, senior MMA leader,
Pakistan's controversial blasphemy law has long angered human rights activists, who say it is a tool for persecution of religious minorities, especially Christians, and in settling personal scores. President Musharraf had this law scrapped, but pressure from Islamist parties had forced him to revert his decision.